The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, convened on Monday and approved several crucial decisions, including a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision to lift the ban on the import of monosodium glutamate (MSG).

The cabinet approved filing a review petition with the Supreme Court of Pakistan to lift the ban on the import of monosodium glutamate (MSG), commonly known as Ajinomoto, following the court’s previous ruling.

This decision was based on the findings of a specialized committee formed by the Prime Minister’s office to assess the health effects of MSG. The committee concluded that MSG is safe for human health.

It included experts from Pakistan Scientific and Industrial Research, National Agricultural Research Center, National University of Sciences and Technology, and other relevant organizations.

The cabinet also approved the renewal of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for the establishment of Pakistan Chairs at several prestigious international universities, including the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Jordan, Peking University, and the University of Heidelberg.

In education matters, the cabinet approved the appointment of Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman and Dr. Kamran Ansari as subject experts on the Board of Governors of the Centre of Excellence at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.

Similarly, Dr. Mumtaz Mohammad Shah and Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Farooqi were appointed as subject experts on the Board of Governors of the Centre of Excellence in Mineralogy at the University of Balochistan, Quetta.

The cabinet gave its in-principle approval to the creation of the Islamabad Central Business District Development Authority, as recommended by the Ministry of Interior. Additionally, the cabinet approved the National Prevention of Violent Extremism Policy 2024.

In the judicial sector, the cabinet approved changes to the jurisdiction of special courts in Karachi and Quetta, following the directives of the Sindh and Balochistan High Courts. It also granted authority to additional session judges and other relevant courts to hear cases under the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act 2023.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of restoring order after recent violent protests, which he said were aimed at creating chaos in the country.

He condemned the damage to public property and the loss of lives among law enforcement officers during the protests.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the significant decrease in inflation, stating that it directly impacts the poor. He noted that inflation had dropped to 4.9% in November 2024, the lowest in 70 months, marking a positive change after a period of high inflation.

In 2018, inflation had been at 3.5%, but now it is at its lowest level in years, offering hope for easing the burden on ordinary Pakistanis.